


In Matters of the Heart

by liddie



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: AU that's not fully thought out, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Not Related, Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Angst, Character Death, Death, Durincest, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, I just needed something different, M/M, Romance, Sad with a Happy Ending, Temporary Character Death, andriod/robot Kili, chapter 2 is a bit nicer ;), dwarf prince Fili
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-28
Updated: 2014-06-02
Packaged: 2018-01-26 12:55:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1689092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liddie/pseuds/liddie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thorin Oakenshield’s life changes with only four words, four simple words that seem to carry enough weight to crush everything the King has worked so hard for.</p><p>Mine B has collapsed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please PLEASE read the warnings and don't read this if they upset you! And if I need to add more tags please feel free to nicely let me know!
> 
> No beta because I'm a bit antsy and nervous about this anyway...
> 
> Sometimes I just need sad things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please PLEASE read the warning!! There is major character death in this story and I don't want anyone to miss that and get upset by it!

* * *

 

Thorin Oakenshield’s life changes with only four words, four simple words that seem to carry enough weight to crush everything the King has worked so hard for.

_Mine B has collapsed._

Mine B. The mine that his nephew and heir has been working in for two and a half months, learning the labours of hard work firsthand as he begins to truly make something of himself.

_Mine B has collapsed…_

…and with this news, hope begins to fade.

* * *

 

Fíli coughs to try and clear his lungs, a burning rising up from his chest as he keeps his eyes firmly shut out of some kind of ingrained instinct. He tries to remember what’s happened, why he’s lying on his back with his entire body feels like it’s both aching and completely numb. Trying to concentrate the blond moves his fingers and they scratch along rough stone under his palms, another choked cough rattling his lungs.

Forcing his aching body to move Fíli takes a deep breath and the dust he inhales brings on more coughing, body shaking with the force of the fit. Ever so slowly he lifts an arm and presses it over his face, inhaling through the fabric while trying to regulate his erratic breathing. The sound of blood rushing in his ears and the overly loud beating of his heart are the only things he can hear, but if the prince listens hard enough he can just barely make out the odd sound of a mechanic whirl and clicking going off in the distance.

After a few more deep gulps of dusty air the blond moves his arm and breathes steadily through his nose, daring to crack an eye open and realize that he’s surrounded in darkness. A few lights flicker from beyond the piles of stone and darkness, Fíli’s eyes adjusting to the dim light as he tries to listen for anything other than his own breathing and the whirling.

Moving an arm under himself Fíli tries to lift up, the rumble of rocks shifting above causing the bruised body to lock up. A barrage of memory fragments come zipping back all at once, the shouts, screams and utter panic that had taken took hold right as the mine had collapsed. Fíli can’t remember many details and when he tries to recall anything further a sharp pain blooms at the side of his head.

He does remember pushing the others toward the exit, remembers shoving a lad much younger than himself away and feeling the floor vibrating beneath his boots. Dark, terrified eyes had been the last thing remembers, Fíli wrenching himself up with a shout as the last few seconds of consciousness come rushing back.

_“Kíli!”_

Chest heaving Fíli’s head hits something when he jolts up, something that’s softer than rock and…clothed? Lifting a shaking hand the blond presses his fingers against the fabric above him and his breathing hitches, a cough ripping from his lungs as he’s forced to lie back and try to wait the fit out.

“Y-you should not muh..ma-m-move.”

“Kíli,” the blond croaks in relief, tears burning at the corners of his eyes as he lifts a hand to grip weakly at the shirt before him. In the flickering light the prince can just barely make out the chest that hovers above him, too much fabric hanging down over the brunet’s sides. “What—”

“Shhhh, they w-wuh—will come for you.” Kíli’s words are broken and harsh, so unlike the jovial tone he’s adapted after years and years of being in the presence of dwarves. Fíli’s eyes shift up from the brunet’s chest and he sucks in a shaky breath that morphs into a choked sob which fills the small space between them when he sees the state of the Kíli’s body.

Half of the brunet’s right shoulder has been ripped away, exposed wires and large chunks of twisted metal shining in the dim light. The earlier flashes and sparks that Fíli thought were from the damaged lighting are actually coming from behind Kíli, the artificial skin peeled away to expose even more wires that cross and short out while the slender body keeps steady over the prince.

“Kíli,” Fíli breaths once more, lifting a shaking hand up to try and cup the rough cheek though Kíli moves his head out of reach. Stubbornly, Fíli reaches nonetheless and lets his fingers trail over polished metal and broken ‘skin,’ the whirling noise becoming louder and making the blond realize that it’s coming from inside the brunet. “What did you do?”

The body above Fíli shifts slightly and a few rocks fall down around his sides, Kíli making a low noise as he freezes once more. “I did w-wuh-whaa-wha-t was required of m-me. Keeeeep the Prince s-safe. Keep…Fíli safe.” As soon as the last word leaves the brunet’s mouth Fíli watches his jaw clamp shut, a few sparks spitting and illuminating the wires and metal of Kíli’s mouth.

“At what cost?” Fíli cries out, moving his legs when he realizes Kíli’s are pinned by a large slab of rock that would have crushed him easily. Craning his neck to glance down Fíli sees that one of Kíli’s legs and foot have been completely crushed, twisted at an odd angle to be able to keep the weight off his own body. “You reckless idiot!”

“Expendable. I h-haaave done m-my job.”

Fíli’s eyes flick back up and he can see the proud smirk even if half of the brunet’s face is missing. “Don’t be so proud of yourself, you bastard.” The snap only makes Kíli grin, a loud whistle and pop causing one of his arms to jolt as a few bits of metal buckle under the weight. “Kíli.” There’s a flood of desperation in Fíli’s voice now, his head clearing and the realizations of their position beginning to hit him. “Damage scan.” Kíli bites the half of the lip he has left and Fíli’s heart sinks. “Now!”

“F-functioning on reserves, damage levels at 93%...” Kíli bites out the rest of the report with his teeth clenched but Fíli doesn't really hear it, too caught up on the first parts as he tries to sit up. “Stop!” The command makes him freeze and he locks eyes with Kíli. “Moving will only m-ma-maake it w-worse.”

“We have to get out of here, we have to _do_ something!”

Kíli shakes his head in a small motion, looking at the blond dwarf with a small smile. “T-they aaaare coming for y-you, will be here s-soon.”

“I won’t just let you die!” Fíli’s voice is furious at the resignation in Kíli’s tone, eyes widening when the arm next to his head buckles and rubble slides over Kíli’s neck and head as he falls forward a bit. The position of the slender body continues to keep Fíli from harm, tears biting in the corners of blue eyes as something in Kíli’s chest rattles.

“’m n-not alive, Fíli. N-no h-haa-hea—rt.”

Fíli grabs the brunet’s hand and pulls it up to press against his own chest. “ _This_ is your heart, can you not feel it?” Kíli’s eyes stare down at where his broken hand lies against dirty fabric, the artificial skin of three fingers and half the hand stripped away with his smallest finger crushed. A few seconds later Fíli rips at his ruined tunic to expose tanned skin, Kíli pressing his fingers harder to try feel even the smallest bit of warmth that still registers through the fried nerves. “It’s yours, Kíli.”

The mismatched eyes that stare back at Fíli are nothing but beautiful, one brown though the other has bled to a murky red. Kíli blinks and a stream of bright blue liquid escapes down his cheek like a tear, Fíli making a low noise of protest as he lifts a hand to wipe the liquid away. A warm smile spreads across Kíli’s face and he ignores the way the wires in his exposed cheek pull. “I can f-feel it.”

Before Fíli can respond an echo of shouting interrupts, both looking to the side as the voices begin to get louder. The rubble shifts and a few small pieces fall inches from Fíli’s face, Kíli removing his broken hand to tangle in blond hair and pull Fíli even closer. “H-here!” Kíli’s call is loud and the shouts stop to listen, the brunet repeating his cry for help until movement overhead has him trying to tuck Fíli in as close as he can to avoid any injury.

Kíli uses his broken speech to direct their attempt to the side so they don’t press the weight further, the rubble beginning to shift as he hangs his head so dark hair pools around the prince’s shoulder. “N-now we w-wait.”

“Kíli, you…” Running a hand up the brunet’s other arm Fíli bites his lip when he sees a shower of sparks pop above his fingers, curling his hand in the coarse fabric of Kíli’s tunic and holding tight. “Why?”

“B-because I loved you.” The words are nothing more than a whisper, the whirling noise beginning to get quieter and quieter as the rescue team digs closer and closer. Kíli looks so sure of his affections as he smiles despite their situation, a sudden shower of sparks making the grin falter for only a few seconds before the smile is back in place.

Biting out a curse Fíli shakes his head and leans up, pressing his lips to Kíli’s mouth in a bruising kiss. He can feel both the smooth, artificial skin and cool metal against his lips, a strange noise coming from Kíli and making the blond lean back. “What is it? Kíli?”

Mouth moving wordlessly Kíli’s eyes widen as light spills into their small pocket of safety, Thorin’s worried voice calling for Fíli. “H-here!” The blond never takes his eyes off Kíli as more boulders and piles of rubble are shifted, a smile of relief tugging at the metal of Kíli’s face.

“Fíli, how are you—oh Mahal, is that Kíli?” Another shift and the rescue team have made a path big enough to haul Fíli through, Thorin crouching down to steady himself for the extraction.

Kíli chuckles brokenly and a thin, reddish black liquid bubbles up past his lips, much to Fíli’s alarm. “Uncle, we have to get Kíli out of here.”

Thorin looks at the two and Kíli turns his head slowly, telling the dark haired dwarf everything without needing to speak a single word. “Okay Fíli, we’ll get him out. It won’t be easy but we’ll do our best.”

“No Uncle, we _have_ to get him out. He needs help.”

With both sets of eyes staring Thorin doesn’t really trust himself to look at either, the anxious blue of his nephew relaying absolute trust while the mulitcoloured pair holds a sort of urgency. Another shower of sparks and the mechanics in Kíli’s good arm begin to grind, Thorin reaching for the blond and urging him to crawl forward.

Fíli looks back to the brunet and reaches to wipe away a thin trail of liquid spilling from the corners of Kíli’s mouth, offering him a smile. “Almost there, Kíli. Hold on, okay?” Leaning in Fíli presses a kiss to the motionless lips, Kíli dipping his head in the tiniest bit to return the affection.

Tilting his head back and nodding, Kíli places his injured arm back down and tries to push himself higher to give Fíli more room to move out. Thorin grabs the blond’s arm and tugs him to the safety of the small tunnel, Fíli leaning back down to reach his hand out to Kíli.

Heaving a sigh Kíli smiles sadly and shakes his head, the rubble shifting as both arms buckle. “L-live, Fíli. For m-me.”

A groan comes from the pile of rubble and Fíli lurches forward only to have strong arms wrap around his body and jerk back, the blond automatically turning into his uncle’s chest when the slab of stone he’d been trapped under collapses.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I can't seem to end something with sad feels, have another chapter ;)

* * *

 

It’s been four months since the mine collapse, four long months of digging, clearing and rebuilding. The kingdom had lost three dwarves and two Others to the accident, five polished stones now sitting outside the mine as a reminder of the loss suffered that day.

Life goes on, they say, though to this day Fíli cannot walk past the mines without feeling the same ache in his heart that he felt when his uncle had pulled him free. The loss and anger still eat away at Fíli on the worst of days, Kíli’s sad smile seared like a brand into his memory as the words echo in the blond's mind.

_Live, Fíli. For me._

But how can he live when his heart and soul has died? The brave face he puts on for the kingdom is flawed and cracked, his uncle thankfully remaining silent on the subject and allowing Fíli his time to grieve. Losing your One is not something that will ever heal properly, the hole in your where they once fit forever remaining a constant reminder of what it is to love deeply one moment only to lose that light in the next. Fíli had wasted the precious time with Kíli, never once mentioning his feeling or the pull he felt until it was too late.

Shaking his head to dispel the thoughts Fíli glances up at his uncle as he finishes speaking to the crowd, the blond giving a smile to the people that have gathered for his name day celebration. A steady stream of dwarves line up to approach the prince and give him gifts and well wishes, Fíli smiling as he counts the minutes until he can retire to his chambers.

Once there he doesn’t have to be the strong prince they need. In they safety of his chambers he can be the simple dwarf who has loved and lost his One far too early.

* * *

 Sounds. Muffled voices that seem far away cut through the buzz of silence. Gentle hands brush against a soft face and more quiet voices speak to each other, one deep and frustrated and the other light and hopeful.

Dark eyes blink open and try to focus on the figure leaning over his prone body, a familiar face that he knows goes with the hopeful voice. He tries to speak but it takes a minute to remember how, something firing in the back of his mind as he flexes the new vocal cords.

The dwarf above smiles down and the Other returns it while mouthing a name.

"Aye, welcome back, laddie."

* * *

 

Fíli smiles and accepts the bag of exotic fruits from a redheaded dwarf, thanking her and returning the well wishes with a nod. He watches her walk away and turns to glance at his uncle, the tiredness creeping up while setting the bag down in the pile of gifts.

A few people wander about and Fíli’s shoulders sag with the weight of the day, Thorin’s warm hand settling on his shoulder and offering a silent strength. “Just a bit longer, Fíli. You’ve done well by your people and I’m proud of who you’ve become.”

The words are sincere and Fíli nods with a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes, kneeling down on one knee when a dark haired dwarfling approaches him shyly and passes over a polished stone. “I will treasure it always,” Fíli tells him as he leans in for a hug, nodding in thanks to the parents and looking down at the stone as they walk away.

It’s a small piece of sapphire that has been rounded off into an oval shape, the colour the exact same hue as the one that stands for his lost One outside the mines. Fíli curls his hand around it and squeezes, biting his lip and taking a step back to stand next to his uncle.

A sudden commotion by the doorway catches their attention, a hooded figure easily sidestepping the guards as they makes their way toward the thrones at a quickening pace. Thorin settles a hand on his sword and Fíli reaches into his sleeves to grip the handles of the daggers settled there, Balin and Dwalin entering the hall after the figure making both uncle and nephew relax slightly.

“Laddie! You can’t just—”

Balin’s voice cuts off when the figure stops at the edge of the small dais and kneels before the royals. The room falls silent and Fíli raises a brow when Dwalin steps up next to the figure, letting out a huff as he pulls the hood back without dramatics.

Fíli’s heart falters when he lays eyes on the mess of dark hair atop the stranger’s head, brown eyes slowly lifting to connect with his own. The familiar gaze has the prince taking a step back as he tries to process what he sees, the smile on the Other's face falling when he hears the rate of Fíli’s heartbeat change.

“Fíli?”

The blond shakes his head and lets his eyes fall shut, feeling the voice wash over his weary body and wishing this were real. His exhaustion must be getting the better of him to create such an image like this, Fíli’s thoughts drifting to the full bottle of sleeping tonic Oin had giving him months ago. There’s no doubt Thorin will notice and demand Fíli take it to get rest, the prince’s legs buckling when he hears his name once more.

Fíli opens his eyes again when he feels the arm around his waist help him to sit on the stone steps, blue eyes widening when he sees a pair of familiar worried brown so close to his face.

“Fíli please,” Kíli’s voice pleads, warm hands cupping his cheeks and tilting his head to the side to try and find an ailment. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re dead.” Fíli’s voice is quiet and he can tell that the others have been ushered from the room, only his uncle and the Fundin brothers remaining. “I want this to be real but I know I mustn't.”

One hand slips off his face and Fíli smiles at the vision of his One, not a scrap of metal or exposed wire visible from what he can see. The brunet’s warm hand closes over his own and lifts it up, Kíli threading his fingers over the back of Fíli’s hand and guiding it to press over the blond’s heart as he leans in close.

“I can still feel it.” Kíli whispers into Fíli’s ear, leaning against his body. “My heart.”

The words have Fíli freezing up, his breath catching when Kíli leans back to look into his eyes with a soft smile. “Kíli?” Fíli’s voice is raw and quiet but Kíli nods, squeezing their joined hands and using his thumb to brush over Fíli’s cheek. “You’re—”

“—here, with you. I’m sorry it took so long, Fíli.” Kíli disentangles their hands and lifts his arms to wrap around the blond’s neck, hugging him close and laughing when Fíli wraps his own arms around his waist. Fíli drags the Other into his lap and Kíli laughs, moving his legs to bracket Fíli’s hips as he leans into the embrace.

“I thought I had lost you in the mine.”

“Just the body,” Balin pipes up, both young dwarves turning to look at the white haired elder. “Thankfully, Kíli’s old body was a model that kept the chip in the chest instead of the skull.”

“You found him,” Fíli breathes. “Uncle said he was never found.”

“Aye, we had to lie to you both and for that I am sorry. It was tricky to extract the chip and I did not want to give either of you false hope before I knew for certain. We have been working on the new body ever since the accident because we had hoped…”

Balin trails off and Fíli nods in understanding, his absence and tight schedule now making sense to the blond. “Thank you, Balin. I am forever in your debt, you and Dwalin both.”

“No need for that, laddie,” Balin chuckles, his brother nodding in agreement. “You deserve to be happy and we are glad to have been of assistance.”

Fíli shakes his head and pledges to make it up to the both of them some way or another, hugging the brunet tighter against him as Kíli huffs out a breath and tries to wiggle to sit back.

“You told me to hold on so I did.”

Lifting his hands to cup Kíli’s face Fíli smiles, bringing him down into a kiss. “That you did, Kíli. You’ll never stop surprising me.” Mumbled words are silenced as Kíli kisses him back, the hole in Fíli’s heart knitting shut as his One grins and smiles against his cheek.

Thorin looks away with a smile of gratitude toward his friends, the spark of life returning to his nephew worth more than all the riches of their kingdom.


End file.
